Last Monday was Mewby's birthday and every year, on her birthday, I take her out to a restaurant that must fit two criteria: it must be somewhere new (for us) and it must be super posh! This year it was Épice, a French restaurant in an old wooden machiya townhouse not far from the Imperial Palace Park. It's a pleasant spot, and the food could best be described as … [Read more...] about Épice
machiya
Ushinohone Anaza
Here's another comfy, little izakaya style restaurant in an old machiya building on Sanjo. There are lots of simple but tasty Japanese dishes to choose from here. Behold the food! Appetizers. Unusually (but happily for me) none of them contained meat! This Crab and tomato tartare was luscious... Potato Salad with Mentaiko (marinated roe of pollack) - a very … [Read more...] about Ushinohone Anaza
京町家の再生 – Machiya Revival in Kyoto
I've just finished reading this fine little book about the machiya (町家) of Kyoto. Machiya are the traditional narrow wooden townhouses of the old capital. Once, their tiled roofs and wooden lattice fronts typified Kyoto’s urban landscape. However, since the end of WW2 this traditional landscape has in large part been replaced by high rise buildings and parking lots. 13% of … [Read more...] about 京町家の再生 – Machiya Revival in Kyoto
Omuraya
Omuraya is a cheerful izakaya style restaurant in an old wooden machiya house just off Hyakumanben. I love it! Cooks and waiting staff bustle about behind counters piled with colorful seasonal vegetables to the background sound of the Blues. The food is simple, healthy and rustic. I recommend the nama fu dengaku: moist, lightly fried strips of gluten in a smoky miso sauce. I … [Read more...] about Omuraya
Hale ~晴~
Hidden away in the heart of the bustling market on Nishiki Dori is a tiny little alleyway that leads to Hale (晴). This is a fully organic and vegan restaurant, specializing in seasonal dishes, yuba tofu and Kyoto's famously distinctive vegetables. For lunch you can have a set meal or the "Special Lunch" which costs a bit more. I settled for the standard set lunch which you can … [Read more...] about Hale ~晴~
